The present invention relates to a female terminal for connection to corresponding fuses, male terminals of bus bar or male terminals connected to wire harness.
Recently, as fuses for use in vehicles, so-called mini-fuses have been used In place of auto-fuses which are generally larger in size than such mini-fuses.
Because the auto-fuse is different from the mini-fuse in thickness as well as in pitch and width of the male terminal portion, the female terminals for both fuses must have been prepared individually.
FIG.1 shows a pair of conventional auto-fuse 1 and female terminal 2, and FIG. 2 shows a pair of conventional mini-fuse 3 and female terminal 4. A typical example of such a conventional female terminal is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid Open (Kokai) No. (HEI)2-76480.
Accordingly, when vehicles employ such conventional auto-fuses and mini-fuses together, the types of these terminals must be increased so that the maintenance and preparation of such various parts be very troublesome.
Additionally, in the electric connection box provided in the engine room or the like place of vehicles, junction terminals (which are so-called female-female type terminals and will be called herein as "female junction terminals") are used for connection of each male terminal of wire harness derived from each electric part to each male terminal of bus bar or for connection of male terminals between wire harness terminal portions.
FIG.3 shows a pair of female junction terminals 5a, 5b used in an electric connection box 9, bus bar 6 and male terminal 8 connected to one end of electric wire, the latter two of which are to be inserted respectively in the former, i.e., the corresponding Junction terminals 5a, 5b . In such a case, since the male terminal portion 6a of bus bar 6 is different in thickness and width from the male terminal portion 8a of metal terminal 8, the female junction terminal 5a corresponding to the male terminal portion 6a of bus bar 6 and the other female Junction terminal 5b for the male terminal portion 8a of terminal 8 of the prior art must be constructed as parts of different types.
However, different construction in these female junction terminals for the male terminal of bus bar and for the male terminal does not only increase the types of such junction terminals 5a, 5bbut also require much trouble in maintenance and preparation of such parts.